Car starts, idles, then dies? HELP asap

OPTI621

PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

Ok, my grand prix started having trouble yesterday. It was a rainy day. The first problem I had was pulling out of a parking lot, I pulled into the road and the car died. Later I parked on a driveway that was slanted and the car wouldnt even try to turn over, I rolled it down the driveway then it started up right away. Then driving home on the highway it jerked forward a couple times died out. I pushed it onto a residential road and got it started but it would just idle out in the same fashion then eventually it wouldnt run at all. Sometimes it would start and idle but it would do the same thing, I describe it as if you were pushing the gas peddle forward slightly in a jerking motion while the car was running. I waited a half hour and tried, it started, so I tried to drive home again and a minute or two later it died out in the same way it did before. The car jerks forward a couple times and the gas stops working then the engine dies. I got it to a parking lot by pushing and left it for the night.
i thought it was just wiring problem or the rain but the next day it was dry and I went to check it out and tow it but it started and made it home without a problem. Later I test drove it and it died out again in the same way, jerked forward the same way a few times, and wouldnt restart at all.
So occasionally it starts but dies out, sometimes a few seconds or sometimes minutes later.
i had it towed today and a shop is planning on looking at it tomorrow Oct 19.
a friend said it was the fuel injectors (i found a bottle of fuel injector cleaner that goes in the gas tank from the previous owner too if that means anything), my dad says its the fuel pump, I think it could be those or the spark plugs or lines that go to them or drive belt but I really have no idea?
i dont want to go to the shop and have no idea whats wrong because I dont want to get ripped off paying to repair something thats not even wrong with the car. So whats wrong with my car? And how much should I expect to be paying(estimate) to have it repaired? I

SPONSORED LINKS

Do you

have the same problem?

Yes

No

Thursday, October 18th, 2007 AT 11:03 PM

3 Replies

MERLIN2021

EXPERT

17,581 POSTS

Sounds more like a fuel delivery issue, if you mean wouldnt turn over to mean wouldnt start, if the motor wouldnt crank, sometihing else is going on. Any codes stored? Check engine light on?

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Friday, October 19th, 2007 AT 2:36 AM

OPTI621

MEMBER

Wouldnt start meaning it would crank and try to start but wont start up after it cuts out. No check engine light, dont know how to tell if codes are stored?
A smart friend says if the fuel pump isnt working then when I first start it the suction pulls enough fuel to run for a little but it cuts out when thats all sucked up cuz the fuel pump isn't doing it's job.
How much should I expect to pay(estimate) for fuel pump and install if that is the problem?

SPONSORED LINKS

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Friday, October 19th, 2007 AT 2:52 AM

MERLIN2021

EXPERT

17,581 POSTS

First thing to check is open the fuel door, temove the cap and have someone turn the key to on, you should hear the pump run for 2-3 seconds, if not check the fuse for it. If it doesn't run it won't pump.